In unexpected news, the NEAFL to merge with the VFL for 2021. It's an interesting move given the current climate and the move to cut costs. There are currently 9 clubs in the NEAFL and 15 in the VFL so I'm not sure how a 24 team league is going to work.
Breaking: NEAFL to merge with VFL in 2021, with its nine clubs invited to join the state league. More at Leader Local Footy.
— Paul Amy (@PaulAmy375) August 24, 2020
9+15=24 so 23 game season!
Stunned at this news, travel costs will be big at a time when there's no money, very strange decision. And Covid is far from over so maybe no second tier next year anyway!
I think it's a baffling move, and a terrible one for us. It would be baffling even in normal circumstances, but even more so when the competition is looking to trim costs, not add them.
At the moment we effectively have a free source of top-up players. (I don't know if the underage academy players get a match payment for NEAFL games, but if they do, I imagine it's a pittance.) While the U18 (soon to be U19) championships are on, the very bottom aged academy players get a run. Some of these guys are barely 16 years old. It fills a hole in the NEAFL system, even though many of these academy players struggle somewhat against the mature bodies of the NEAFL competition. But a lot of the NEAFL sides are also pretty young so it just about works.
The VFL has a good number of players running around who are close to AFL standard. Each year some will get drafted and go on to make an immediate impact at AFL level. Even those who don't quite have what it takes to make it at the next level are still typically older, bigger and stronger. Most of the teams the Swans have put out in the NEAFL competition would get completely wiped away by an average VFL side. Playing in a team getting trounced does close to nothing for our own young listed players, and will do even less for the academy players, were they still to be used.
That suggests we're going to have to find some mature top up players from somewhere. I can't think where. The Sydney Uni team has started to attract a few from the other state leagues or recent AFL players but they are pretty few and far between. Regardless of how or where we find them, it will cost money.
And that's before you factor in the additional travel and infrastructure costs.
I don't believe there is compelling evidence that our draftees' development has been slowed by playing NEAFL rather than VFL.
I assume it would be a conference system. Where instead of playing every side once, you end up playing more games against geographically closer teams.
I think it would be good long term if teams like Sydney Uni can afford a side. Academy players that miss out can compete against VFL sides which is seen as more impressive.
If that is the case.
It would be good to loosen up the rules with ex academy players to be able to keep them around for a few more years to form a core of the reserve side.
Players like Thorne, Gaden, Parks and Barling might have enjoyed competing against VFL sides in Swans colours. So even if they don't get drafted they still get to play for the Swans at a competitive level.
I note that on AFL site it says:
‘The AFL clubs in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria will be able to either field a standalone team, align with an existing second-tier club or spread their AFL-listed players across multiple second-tier clubs.’
NEAFL joins forces with VFL to form eastern seaboard comp
Possibly the Swans & GWS will amalgamate for this comp thereby eliminating need for top-up players? This was mooted some months ago.
While the detail will obviously be important, it's interesting in that it seems to be quite different to the amalgamated development league Harley flagged in May: "AFL club chiefs back push for new 14-team reserves competition" AFL club chiefs back push for new 14-team reserves competition.
Still, we'll see what Harley says now but I'll be surprised if he's against it, given he appears to have been part of working on it.
I think the reason it's good for us is flagged in your post: the competition will be better. As Harley said in that May article: “The concept is to develop a culture of winning and competing".
The question of how we'd fill out our team is an interesting one, but I don't think the answer is necessarily bad for us or one we're unhappy with.
Here's Pridham from a few months ago, in favour of a national reserves competition where 'everyone has an equal opportunity', and against merging with GWS reserves to participate: "AFL 2020: Sydney Swans chairman Andrew Pridham says play on, reverses opposition to AFL playing in coronavirus crisis" AFL 2020: Sydney Swans chairman Andrew Pridham says play on, reverses opposition to AFL playing in coronavirus crisis.
My guess if there's mergers, it will probably be along the lines of; Southport Suns, Sydney University Swans, Canberra Giants, Williamstown Bulldogs, etc. Some might work in the short term, but I think that once the game gets back to a healthier financial state, then there will be a certain amount of lobbying, for the arranged marriages to be annulled.
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